At a glance

Delta, Falls, salt-pans and bush are the backdrop to the fantastic wildlife and wilderness of Botswana

Take a journey into the wilds of Botswana. Glide along the Okavango Delta in traditional makoros and admire a billion stars from the otherworldly and eerily silent Makgadikgadi Pans. Search for Africa’s emblematic wildlife on the Savuti Marsh and the Moremi reserve and take to the Chobe River, known for having the highest concentration of elephants anywhere. Finally discover why David Livingstone, upon seeing Victoria Falls, declared ‘scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.’

Itinerary

Show detailed itinerary

1Day 1Arrive Maun.

The trip starts today at our campsite located on the banks of the Thamalakane River. The campsite has hot showers, bar, swimming pool, and the restaurant is known for its good food and ambience.See more images and videos

2Day 2To Okavango Delta.

We pack minimal gear for 2 nights into a smaller bag, before a 4x4 transfer into the Okavango Delta. At the 'polers' station' we meet a new team of local staff from a nearby village who will look after us during our stay in the delta. With them we travel in mokoros deep into the Okavango Delta. We have lunch at our campsite on the banks of the river, and in the late afternoon we head out on our first game walk. We return to camp before sunset and enjoy our first meal in the African bush.See more images and videos

3Day 3Morning game walk; sunset mokoro ride.

We get up early this morning for a game walk with a guide from the poling team. There are never any guarantees with wildlife, but there is the chance of seeing elephant, buffalo, and other smaller game. We return to camp for a well deserved brunch and some time to relax. In the afternoon we take a short mokoro trip on the river to view the sunset before returning to camp.

This morning we board our mokoros for the trip back to the polers' station. We meet our vehicle and transfer back into Maun for the night where we will purchase supplies for the days ahead. The afternoon is free to relax by the pool or take an optional scenic flight over the Delta.See more images and videos

5Day 5Visit Makgadikgadi Salt Pan.

After a relaxed breakfast we head east to the vast Makgadikgadi saltpan. Depending on the season or if the pans are wet, we will camp wild on the pan or one of the campsites nearby. The Makgadikgadi saltpan covers an area over 16,000 square kilometres and forms the bed of an ancient lake - now dried up. The sunsets on the pan are truly spectacular.See more images and videos

6Day 6Cross into Zimbabwe to Victoria Falls.

A long drive north before crossing into Zimbabwe to the town of Victoria Falls situated minutes from the waterfalls of the same name. The falls themselves are over 1,700m wide and 100m tall making them the largest waterfalls in the world and are one of Africa's most famous highlights. We will have the opportunity to find out more about the various activities on offer available for tomorrow.

This morning there is an opportunity to view Victoria Falls themselves (park entry fee not included) from the Zimbabwean side. From here we drive back to Botswana and take a short drive from the border to the town of Kasane, where we camp on the banks of the Thebe River, a tributary of the mighty Zambezi. The afternoon is free, with an option to view game on the famous Chobe Waterfront by taking an exciting river cruise on the Chobe River. This is widely regarded as one of the best game cruises in Africa with a very good chance of seeing the elephant herds coming down to the river to drink before the sun sets.See more images and videos

9Day 9Into Chobe N.P. and visit Savuti area.

We take an early morning game drive back to the Chobe Waterfront area. Chobe is famous for its large population of elephants, but is also home to plenty of other exciting game including lion and wild dog. After exploring the Northern end of this huge park, we head south into remote and rugged terrain, passing in and out of the national park, before finally reaching the Savuti area at the southern edge of Chobe National Park.
The Savuti Marsh, often dry, is fed by the Savuti river channel which alternately flows and then dries up for years at a time. Recent flooding in 2010 and 2011 has given this area new life. This area is also home to plenty of game, but is especially well known for its lions, and the large numbers of elephant that walk enormous distances to find fodder.

We take morning and afternoon game drives on the Savuti Marsh. There is a good chance to see lion, cheetah and hyena that follow the seasonal zebra migration through this area. Large secretary birds and kori bustards are often seen strutting around the Savuti marsh and small red-billed francolins provide a noisy morning wake up call.

After breaking camp we drive all the way to Moremi Game Reserve. We pass through a variety of habitats including the Mbabe depression, Mopani forest and past great Acacia trees before arriving at Khwai village and the North Gate entrance of Moremi Game Reserve. Moremi National Park is the jewel in Botswana's wildllife crown. Protecting much of the northern part of the Okavango Delta, it is made up of waterways, marshes, islands and open grasslands.See more images and videos

12Day 12Full day of game drives.

We'll go on morning and afternoon game drives through this beautiful protected area, trying to find the large variety of animals that live here. Despite its wet reputation, there is plenty of dry land in Moremi, which allows our game drives to cover significant distances while spotting game in the sometimes dense vegetation. As well as elephant and lion, Moremi is a good place to spot leopard and cheetah, and the red lechwe, a water dwelling antelope, often seen grazing amongst the lillies.See more images and videos

13Day 13Morning game drive; to Maun.

We enjoy our last morning game drive through the park before travelling back to Maun, and back to our riverside campsite. We can enjoy the swimming pool before enjoying our last dinner at the campsite restaurant.See more images and videos

Your images

Guided Group

This is a small group adult holiday. The group is usually between 4 and 12 in size, with an average of 8 like-minded clients booking individually, in a couple or as friends together.

Activity level

You are healthy, enjoy the outdoors and want a relaxing trip. No experience is required.

What's included

What's included

All breakfasts, 11 lunches, 8 dinners

All accommodation (see below)

All transport and listed activities

Tour leader throughout

Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)

What's not included

Travel insurance

Single accommodation (available on request)

Visas or vaccinations

Accommodation details

Camping

You will spend 11 nights full-service camping and 2 nights in a standard hotel in Victoria Falls.
This is a full service camping safari. This means that your tents will be erected for you. Most of the nights will be spent wild camping and a few nights will be spent in public campsites. We supply all the camping equipment with the exception of your sleeping bag and pillow. The tents are spacious and comfortable (2.4 x 2.4 x 1.8 meter). We supply camp beds with mattresses, which are about 5cm thick, warm and comfortable. The camp chairs have a backrest and we use standard plates, cups and cutlery. Most of the public campsites have swimming pools. Please note that the HATAB campsites in Chobe Game Reserve are located throughout the Savuti area and may include the Zwei Zwei pan.
Single supplement available (from GBP180)

Essential info

Vaccinations and Visa

VISAS: BOTSWANA: Currently British and Commonwealth and European passport holders do not require visas for Botswana. If you are transiting through South Africa and are a non UK passport holder you may require a transit visa. Please check before travelling. ZIMBABWE: Most nationalities, including British require a visa to visit Zimbabwe. This can be obtained from the Zimbabwean Embassy in London or on arrival in Zimbabwe. The current charge for a single entry visit visa issued on arrival in Zimbabwe is £35.00 or US$55.00, although this could change. If you have not obtained a visa before travelling, you should bring enough cash with you to pay for your visa on arrival. You should ensure you have small notes as immigration officers may not be able to provide change.Please note that if you are travelling on Botswana and Zimbabwe Lodge Safari (WZA), you will need a double entry visa for Zimbabwe. VACCINATIONS: If you are coming from a Yellow Fever infected country (including Zambia) you will need proof of vaccination to enter Botswana. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. Malaria prophylaxis is essential and we suggest that you seek advice from your GP or travel health clinic about which malaria tablets to take.

Holiday style

Expect some long and hot drives as we travel between game parks in this large country. On some days we travel on tarmac roads, but a lot of distance is covered on dirt and sand roads. Depending on water levels, driving in the delta can also be challenging.
As a full-service camping safari, we have a separate supply vehicle with a camp crew who set up camp for us. The camp crew will also cook the food, wash the dishes and attend to all camp chores so that you can sit back and enjoy the wilderness experience. We normally use Botswana Tourism (HATAB) sites, which are only available for private groups. There are no facilities so we use bush toilets and a bush shower. These sites are not fenced and have no running water. We carry a water supply on our vehicles and fill up daily from public sites. There is plenty of water to wash with but we must be sparing; this all adds to the remote wilderness experience! Other nights will be spent in developed camp grounds with facilities usually including toilet blocks, a bar and, sometimes, a swimming pool.
October and November are the hottest months, but are also good for game viewing, please see the weather section for more information.
Legal Note: all group members joining this tour will be asked to sign an indemnity form at the start of the holiday. This indemnity form is a requirement of the South African Tourism Service Association which our local supplier is a member of. As a client of Exodus Travels Ltd, your rights under the Package Travel Regulations (1992) are unaffected, and Exodus remains liable for the actions of our sub-contractors.

Eating & drinking

All breakfasts, 11 lunches and 8 dinners included.
Breakfast - cereals, coffee and toast and the occasional fried breakfast / brunch.
Lunch - cheese, cold meats, salads, bread or rolls.
Dinner - potjies (stew), braais (barbecue), stir-fries, etc.
Please be aware that we need at least two weeks notice to deal with special dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian or allergies.) For this reason if you did not indicate these on your booking form please advise the Exodus office as soon as possible.
The trip leaders do all the shopping and meal planning for each group. He/she will always try to obtain fresh produce wherever possible. Each tour has 1 cool box for the meats and the fresh produce only and 1 cool box for cold drinks.
We will supply the following drinks: squash, tea or coffee served with meals. All other beverages will be at your own expense.
We do not supply bottled drinking water although it is available at many shops on tour if you want to buy it yourself.
Please note that on some days where early morning game drives are included lunch may be substituted for a large brunch on return from the game drive - this is customary. We will always ensure that the number of meals detailed in the trip notes are provided.

Trip notes

Download the detailed trip notes for everything you could possibly want
to know about this trip, including detailed itinerary and full kit list.

Weather & seasonality

There is no best time to go in terms of game viewing or conditions in the Delta, as the Delta flows all year round, despite its flood periods.

The wettest season is January and February, when travel on dirt roads becomes difficult.

March to September, although dry and bright, can be cold at night (in June and July it really can be chilly on occasions so bring appropriate gear). Water levels in the Delta will be at their highest in July. From December to June water levels in the Zambezi are at their highest, and the spray can be seen several miles away as it soars sometimes as much as 500 feet in the air.

October and November are the hotest months, and midday temperatures can be very uncomfortable. The rains normally start slowly in late November. December can be wet, but it does not rain for long periods and should definitely not put anyone off travelling, as there is always plenty of sunshine.

Reviews & community

This trip certainly delivered with regard to the quantity and quality of wildlife viewing with the help of the knowledgeable guides.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Being almost in touching distance of lions and leopards with their kills while they pretty much ignored us. And this in an open sided vehicle !

What did you think of your group leader?

The leader was an excellent cook with good organisation. He also turned his hand to bush mechanic when the support truck needed repair.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

There are long drives in open vehicles so be prepared for wind. Also there are times it is dangerous to leave the tent at night so be prepared for that too.
Travel light - you can get laundry done at Victoria Falls.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We may have been lucky with the amount of wildlife we saw but it made the trip well worth while.
The camp beds are pretty comfortable.

We had an amazing trip, Botswana is stunning with friendly people amazing wildlife. wild camping in the Okavango Delta and walking in the bush amongst the wildlife are experiences that I will never forget.

I would have rated the trip as excellent if it were not for the itinerary change mentioned below and the very cramped vehicle.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Seeing two packs of wild dogs was amazing and spotting lions lazing at the side of a main road was very special. Listening to the sounds of the night and trying to pick out the different animal calls was spectacular.

What did you think of your group leader?

Sam our group leader was very god well organised and was always there when you need him, Mello,s cooking was outstanding . Sten our Botswana guide tried his best but the lectures on geology and were not the best, it was difficult for him has Moremi was completely devoid of any wild life so he was trying to keep us interested.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

The drives are long and uncomfortable, pack light for the truck and take lip balm and a scarf. We went in October it was very hot you wil not need a sleeping bag just a liner wil do.

Go with an open mind and you will love it the people are friendly and the scenery is stunning only surpassed by the amazing wild life in Chobi and savuti.
The Victoria falls were fantastic you will be ther for two night so take the opportunity to explore and try local fare, I recommend Mopani worms at the Boma, check it out it's amazing .

Is there anything else you would like to add?

The last minute change to our itinerary was very disappointing. We di not camp in the salt pans, we were told on arrival that there was a problem with the road and we would be camping in a public campsite instead. the campsite was in Nata wich meant a longer than expected drive in a very cramped and uncomfortable truck. once in the camp we were taken on a short drive to a lake to watch the sunset , very nice but not what we were expecting . We were expecting a night wild camping in the salt pans not watching a sunset with about 15 other trucks nowhere near the salt pans.

Why could we not camp on the salt pans and why were we not told of the change before we departed on the trip?

I travelled on the same trip as Rich. We did all get on and had an excellent crew. We quickly discovered that if w helped dismantle the tents, etc we'd depart earlier!
I do agree about the vehicle on the 3 days we had lengthy drives - at least we had one seat free for the cool box for drinks - but it could have been more comfortable with more space.
If it hadn't been for the vehicle, I would have rated the trip as excellent.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Seeing the wild dogs (we saw two packs) in Savuti and a leopard in the Khwai concession. Also the birds - a good pair of binoculars is an absolute must.

What did you think of your group leader?

Sam was excellent - very well organised and a good companion in the evenings round the camp fire.
Stan (driver and wildlife guide) could read the behaviour of the animals well and, most of the time, moved the vehicle around so we all got a good view. Unfortunately, we saw very little wildlife in Moremi which was a great shame as it was the last two days - we stayed in the North East of the park and didn't drive to the west at all.
Mello (awesome cook) and Paul made up the crew - they'd nearly always erected the tents by the time we arrived in camp.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Inexpensive Laundry opportunities at the Maun campsite and in Victoria Falls if you don't fancy doing your own. Take lots of wet wipes for the nights spent bush camping particularly when the bush shower isn't available (normally the first of the two nights in each bush camp). A silk or cotton liner for your sleeping bag is sensible - it started off very warm most nights but did cool down. Spare batteries for the torch, even a second torch. I got bad heat rash - antisan is a must. Swimming costume for the decent pool at the Maun campsite. Chobe river cruise is a must. Make the most of the visits to the supermarkets and liquor store - the Savanna cider is very drinkable.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Adventure tours in Victoria Falls do NOT accept MasterCard. Visa cards are subject to a 3% surcharge so worth finding out in advance from your bank if it would be cheaper to get the money from an ATM to pay for any optional activities or take enough dollars.

At the tender age of 40(ish), Mike is already an Exodus old-timer. Joining Exodus in 1995, with 5 years as a tour leader where he specialised in the Himalayas and Latin America, Mike finally hung up his trekking boots after 2 years in the Pyrenees running trekking, biking and snowshoeing trips. Back in the office Mike developed our Winter Activities programme before moving into operations. As Operations Director, Mike's mission is now to 'make Health and Safety interesting' (good luck Mike) while maintaining Exodus' spirit of adventure!

Questions about your trip

Pick your question

What vaccinations do I need?

Unfortunately we are not qualified to answer all your questions in regards to travel health, so we strongly recommend you contact your GP or a Travel Health Clinic at least 8 weeks prior to departure for up-to-date information. There will be limited information in the trip notes but you should always seek further qualified medical advice.

Nomad Travel Clinics are experts in preparing people for travel, providing advice on vaccinations, anti-malarial and staying healthy whilst overseas. We have arranged a special 10% discount for Exodus passengers on any vaccinations that you may require! Take along your Nomad discount card, sent with your confirmation pack, or call Exodus for your special discount code.Visit www.nomadtravel.co.uk/exodus for further information.

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All the staff at Exodus share a passion for adventure travel, and are always happy to answer any questions you may have. You can find an expert for the area you are interested in here and can contact them to get further information. If you don't see your specific country listed, please email customerops@exodus.co.uk and they will get the answers you need!

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